In Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, arguably the most important game in his career, Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon. Since then, the Indiana Pacers star has been gradually working his way back to full fitness.
Earlier this summer, the Pacers announced they don’t plan to rush Haliburton’s return and are looking at the 2026-27 season for his return. While it’s good to see that the team is prioritizing their star’s health, the Pacers guard seems to be adding new weapons to his arsenal as he slowly prepares for his return.
Tyrese Haliburton Added Extra Pounds Throughout Recovery
Since the beginning of the season, Indiana has struggled to keep up with the rest of the league. With an 11-36 record, they are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference and appear to have no intentions of trying to fight for a spot in the postseason this year.
Meanwhile, Haliburton is currently undergoing rehab and recovery, but is already participating in some basketball activities with his team. While the Pacers are patiently waiting for their star player to return, it looks like the two-time NBA All-Star is making the wait worthwhile.
In a recent episode of LeBron James’ podcast ‘Mind the Game’, the Pacers star revealed one important detail his adding to his game in preparation for next season.
Haliburton mentioned that he’s gained some extra weight and plans to integrate a more physical style of play next season. The reason behind his decision is because of the difficulty he has getting to the free-throw line. Tyrese acknowledged his lack of physicality on the court and plans on changing his situation.
“The way (Payton Pritchard) gets to guys’ bodies at the rim, that’s really something that I’m trying to focus on through my rehab. Just being more physical,” Haliburton said. “I was 180 pounds on Game 7 day, I’m 210 right now. Like I’m up 30 pounds.”
“I think its just a way for me to be more physical at the rim to get more free throws, I think that’s important for just slowing the game down,” he added.
Tyrese Haliburton says he has gained 30 pounds since he last played.
“I was 180 pounds on game 7 day, I’m 210 now,”
(???? @mindthegamepod / h/t @Fullcourtpass )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 28, 2026
While fans are patiently waiting for the return of Haliburton, it’s interesting to think about how much better he could be by next season. With potentially a bigger and more physical Tyrese next season, the Pacers might be looking at another deep playoff run, given they provide their star with the right pieces to play next to him next year.
Before his devastating season-ending injury, Haliburton was averaging 17.3 points per game, 8.6 assists, and 5.3 rebounds during the playoffs.